


Buffet Grouch

by Jemppu



Series: Months [15]
Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Art, Culmets - Freeform, Fanart, M/M, Tumblr, honey mushroom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:00:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23820457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jemppu/pseuds/Jemppu
Summary: Part of"Honey Mushroom"series of illustrated Culmets momentslisted here on tumblr, and of"Months"moments, taking place before the couple's ultimate Discovery mission.Hugh observing cranky Paul.With an illustration
Relationships: Hugh Culber/Paul Stamets
Series: Months [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1082124
Kudos: 12





	Buffet Grouch

**Author's Note:**

> The series gets released quite out of order, as inspiration dictates, so I urge you to check out the [series list on tumblr](https://tinyurl.com/honeyshroom) for a better picture of the whole.

## 

## Months: Buffet Grouch 

  
Hugh is already setting their table, when Paul finally walks in on the buffet terrace - it always takes a while for the man to get his ‘public mask’ on.  
  
“Seriously. No breakfast service to rooms?”, Paul grumbles as he drags himself to the table, “I didn’t take this place for such a dump”.

Hugh smiles amused, but keeps his laugh at Paul’s inherent snobbishness to himself, “You’re being snooty again, honey”.  
  
The hotel designed for socialites to mingle is hardly “a dump”.  
  
“I would’ve taken even a Replicator in the room”, Paul tries to assure he is not.  
  
The man usually can’t stand people behind his back, so Hugh set their places accordingly. But now the sulky one seems to deliberately choose to sit his back to the crowd - this no doubt so he doesn’t have to watch people the first thing in the morning, Hugh just realizes.  
  
“Now, wouldn’t **that** be below their class?”, Hugh remarks and pushes his waterglass across the table to match this new seating arrangement.  
  
“I don’t care”, the man assures sourly, “would’ve been convenient, is what that would be”.  
  
“And what’s this nonsensical setup with the tables?” Paul eyes the table right next to theirs, with it’s seats in arm’s reach away, “nobody better come sit there”.  
  
The man is obviously being extra grumpy for having to have to get up and out in public so early. And for what? Hugh knows Paul thinks it would be perfectly fine to just skip the breakfast - which Hugh doesn’t like to encourage.  
  
“Why didn’t you just stay in bed then?” Hugh still but smiles at the man. He’s very aware this just is the way Paul is - acting up on his frustrations - the man doesn’t really mean anything bad with his sour demeanor.  
  
“And miss out on what little time I have with you?” Paul grumbles. “I’ll survive”, he relents some of his apparent irritation and whips out his PADD.  
  
Hugh tilts his head in his usual affectionate manner: see? That’s how precious his morning grouch really is underneath.  
  
“Well, I need my morning proteins”, Hugh remarks with a smile, and takes a look at the people starting to line up for the catering across the deck.  
  
Hugh is half expecting to hear a crude joke in reply, but Paul seems to hold it back: he is either too sleepy or too bummed out to care.  
  
Of course Hugh too would’ve welcomed a breakfast in bed, while cuddling with his mellow “morning Paul”, but really, this isn’t bad either; he likes being out with his man, taking in the atmosphere of the resort in the fresh morning air.  
  
“You need me to bring you anything?” Hugh asks, ready to head for the catering tables.  
  
“Naw, thanks”, Paul mumbles absentmindedly from his browsing, “I’ll be right over once that line vanishes, to berate their selection of bland, machine generated teas”.  
  
_“You don’t care”_? Hugh laughs in his mind, and pats Paul on his back in solidarity.

“Honey, you would not survive **a week** on a starship”, he smiles sympathetically, leaving the sullen man to perform his usual, virtual morning routines.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts on the work posted along with the illustration on [**tumblr**](https://jmalkki.tumblr.com/post/176297141559/buffet-grouch-one-of-my-personal-favourites-of).
> 
> _Likes, shares, comments and what have you, all appreciated on:_  
>  _[ **tumblr**](http://jmalkki.tumblr.com/) | [**twitter**](https://twitter.com/Jemppu) | [**instagram**](https://www.instagram.com/jeminamalkki/) | [**DeviantArt**](https://www.deviantart.com/jemppu)_


End file.
